Bexar County delegation splits on trucking vote

The Bexar County congressional delegation split two and two for and against a U.S. House resolution Tuesday to end the 1-year-old cross-border trucking pilot program on which the San Antonio business pins a lot of economic development hopes.

But three Bexar congressman actually support the pilot project and want cross-border trucking to continue. U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, mistakenly voted yes on House Resolution 6630 Tuesday but meant to vote no, a Smith aide said Wednesday morning. Smith is inserting a note in the Federal Register to indicate his support of cross-border trucking, the aide said.

U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, also voted to kill the pilot project, which started as an idea submitted to the Bush administration from the Free Trade Alliance San Antonio. Voting to retain the pilot project, which the U.S. Transportation Department wants to continue for two more years, were U.S. Reps. Charles Gonzalez, D-San Antonio, and Henry Cuellar, R-San Antonio and Laredo.

The House voted to end cross-border trucking 395 to 18, with 20 House members not voting. The margin is enough to override an expected presidential veto.